MiFi Antenna

Miggs

Miggs

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AutoTrail Apache 700
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Some....good & bad!
Just picked up a new to us Apache 700 van which has no mifi so looking to install something suitable for streaming and browsing etc.
I've seen 2in1 (V2-12) and 5in1 (V2-15) offerings from Poynting, not sure if I would benefit from one over the other for what I want to do, maybe the experts on here can advise?
Also any more economic solutions worth considering? I also noticed some cheaper 'puck' things but know nothing about them.

I am considering pairing the antenna with a Huawei B535, either a 232 or a 333 unless there is something better for similar cost I should be looking at?

Thanks for any help.
 
A lot of us seem to be moving onto Starlink ....
 
Having just checked the V2-17 has a 4*4 Mimo which is good except you will need to use a router with 4 antenna connections.

I don't think you will be disappointed by the V2-12, I have an earlier Poynting model which works well.

You can connect them to a mifi but you need one with (two) external antenna connections. The Huawei models you mention don't seem to have them, the antenna will be internal.

Have a look at Teltonika routers, they are a bit "industrial" but they work. Downside is they are not the cheapest, the RUT950 is close to £200 and you will need to make up a 12 volt power cable. I just ordered another power supply and cut the output cable off it so I got the correct plug although in theory you can buy these plugs from component retailers if you know what to order. I did this so I could still use the router in the house using the original power supply.

I can't recommend the Puck antennas, they are a bit compromised with a very long cable. The distance between the antenna and the MiFi/router should be as short as possible.

Have a rummage around on the Solwise site where you will find a lot of interesting articles. Here's an example.

Using a Teltonika router with a Poynting antenna | Solwise Ltd

www.solwise.co.uk www.solwise.co.uk

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DBK said:
The Huawei models you mention don't seem to have them, the antenna will be internal.
Click to expand...
The Huawei B535 has external antenna ports on the back because that’s what I’m using.
 
They are on V3 now, the V3-12 is cellular data (2G, 3G & 4G)
The 3-15 has the addition of Wifi & GPS, the Wifi enables you to boost reception of a Wifi signal e.g. the campsites Wifi you will need a router that have Wifi reception to make use of it The GPS you good feed to your satnav providing it has an external aerial connection.

I wouldn't bother with a Puck they have very limited gain in the 800 mhz bandwidth which is often used on rural cell transmissions.
 
MisterB said:
A lot of us seem to be moving onto Starlink ....
Click to expand...
Look forward to hearing how you get on with it. This link is from someone using it which suggests it isn't a complete solution.

engineerswhovanlife.com

Starlink for Van Life Internet • Engineers who Van Life

From full time engineers on the road, a discussion of the good, the bad, and the ugly of if Starlink is good for Van Life: Gen 2, Gen 3, & Flat Mounted, High Performance.
engineerswhovanlife.com engineerswhovanlife.com
 
Lenny HB said:
May depend on the exact version on the 5577 only the 5577C has them.
Click to expand...
They are mifi’s and mine is a router which the op was thinking of getting.

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Lenny HB said:
May depend on the exact version on the 5577 only the 5577C has them.
Click to expand...
Yes, the B535 has 2 external antenna connections.
I thought of this one as there seems to be a plentiful supply of used ones about for not a lot of cash.
I am open to suggestions for an alternative, for example someone mentioned the Netgear M2 is supposed to be very good?
 
DBK said:
Look forward to hearing how you get on with it. This link is from someone using it which suggests it isn't a complete solution.

engineerswhovanlife.com

Starlink for Van Life Internet • Engineers who Van Life

From full time engineers on the road, a discussion of the good, the bad, and the ugly of if Starlink is good for Van Life: Gen 2, Gen 3, & Flat Mounted, High Performance.
engineerswhovanlife.com engineerswhovanlife.com
Click to expand...
thanks for the link, but as we are not and dont intend to live the 'van life' and certainly not in the United States, i am comfortable with my choice to 'experiment' myself and learn as much as i can from others. for me it doesnt have to be perfect, just a lot better than what i currently do, but as you suggest, time will tell ! (y)

i dont think anything is a complete solution, one size never fits all, other than a shroud !
 
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Miggs said:
Yes, the B535 has 2 external antenna connections.
I thought of this one as there seems to be a plentiful supply of used ones about for not a lot of cash.
I am open to suggestions for an alternative, for example someone mentioned the Netgear M2 is supposed to be very good?
Click to expand...
ive had an M2 for a few years now, it still is a very good mifi but NOT cheap, even a few years after it came onto the market.

i would imagine that there are other Mifis out there that pound for pound probably offer better value
 
I have the Poynting V2-12 connected to a Teltonika Rut 955. I was expecting great things based on feedback, however the speeds are often no better than using the Rut 955 antennas. Thinking of removing it.
 
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Manic said:
I have this antenna on my van using a Huawei B535, seems to work well
www.3grouterstore.co.uk

A-MIMO-0003-V2-12 - Poynting 2 IN 1 High performance multi frequency antenna, max gain 5.8 dBi

A-MIMO-0003-V2-12 - Poynting 2 IN 1 High performance multi frequency antenna, max gain 5.8 dBi
www.3grouterstore.co.uk www.3grouterstore.co.uk
Click to expand...

Sasbo said:
Another vote for this antenna, works really well.
Click to expand...
I too am using the Poynting 3-V2-12 Antenna, with a ZTE 4G LTE Cat 6 MiFi, and experimenting with an ID Mobile sim card, (Three Network).
A fortnight ago I was in a farmer's field in the middle of nowhere, pulling in a low signal, but still enough to stream Live and Catchup TV through the Firestick. (y) At that location, all mobile network providers were showing a low signal strength.

Cheers,

Jock. :)

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Last edited:
Howard B said:
I have the Poynting V2-12 connected to a Teltonika Rut 955. I was expecting great things based on feedback, however the speeds are often no better than using the Rut 955 antennas. Thinking of removing it.
Click to expand...
I have the Teltonika antenna with my RUT 955 and I've not been blown away by the performance either.

Kinda wondering if the router is a bit pants. Often get better download speed using 4G on my phone.
 
Same observation as above with phone out performing router
 
pau1phi11ips said:
I have the Teltonika antenna with my RUT 955 and I've not been blown away by the performance either.

Kinda wondering if the router is a bit pants. Often get better download speed using 4G on my phone.
Click to expand...
That aerial does not support the 800 mhz bandwidth which most rural masts use.

I have a Poynting MIMO which has been brilliant in the past but I'm finding a lot more networks throttle the speed when they detect a Mifi or router even though they denied it.

On our last trip I used an RWG sim in my phone I was getting between 35 to 95 mb/s in Mifi or router 6 to 12 mb/s.
Tried my phone sim which is also on EE it was the same, it's worked fine in mifis & routers in the past.
 
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Lenny HB said:
That aerial does not support the 800 mhz bandwidth which most rural masts use.
Click to expand...
It says the frequency range is 698 - 960 and 1710 - 2690 MHz on that link I included.
Why don't you think it'd support 800MHz?

Edit: Just watched the promo video for the MIMO 3-17. Firstly, wow, that's a big antenna and secondly, I think you mean the 400MHz band. That's interesting. I'll check if I can get some diagnostics on my phone to see what it's connecting to to compare.

Cheers.
 
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pau1phi11ips said:
I have the Teltonika antenna with my RUT 955 and I've not been blown away by the performance either.

Kinda wondering if the router is a bit pants. Often get better download speed using 4G on my phone.
Click to expand...
I've a Poynting V2-12 paired with a Teltonika RUT240. Signal strength and download speed wasn't the best on first installation.

Playing around, I found that when the Poynting antenna leads were swapped over on the RUT240 antenna terminals (move right lead to left terminal and left lead to right terminal) there was a significant increase in signal strength. Don't ask me why, but it worked for me and I've had good stable performance ever since👍

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pau1phi11ips said:
It says the frequency range is 698 - 960 and 1710 - 2690 MHz on that link I included.
Why don't you think it'd support 800MHz?
Click to expand...
From your link
1690882962610.png
 

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